What is Lent?

This one is a bit more scholastic for me... so here it goes!

Usually this time of year Lent is in full swing. When you hear the word Lent what usually comes to your mind? It usually makes me think of Catholics and a time for them to fast from something. Now let me clarify, I didn't grow up Catholic. I don't know a lot about Lent and I've never participated in it. But this year I decided to participate in my own, small way. Along with that I decided to do some research on what it actually means, when it came about, and where it came from.

According to Webster Dictionary the word “lent” means the 40 weekdays from Ash Wednesday to Easter observed by the Roman Catholic, Eastern, and some Protestant churches as a period of penitence and fasting.

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia it means “40 days” or “Spring season”.

Lent originated from the Babylonians as a time of celebration for their god, Tammuz. This time of “lent” was a pagan holiday of celebration of the false Messiah, Tammuz. In Ezekiel 8 it talks about what abominations were taking place at the Temple. Tammuz is mentioned in verses 14-15. This pagan holiday was originally celebrated in June, but the Romans wanted to be in “agreement” with the Babylonians so they agreed to move it to the same time as Passover. Because of this move the Passover become known as Easter.

Now that we know where it originally came from what does the “fasting” part really mean and why for 40 days?

Lent was seen as a time for purification and preparation for the Easter season. Most people fasted for about a week, some one or two days, or 40 hours. The 40 days was believed to represent or correspond with the 40 days of fasting that Jesus spent in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-2).

It was believed the when fasting it was a time for “fasting from sin and sinful ways.” With fasting and having self-discipline one would receive “control over himself that he needs to purify his heart and renew his life.” But fasting is not what brings us purification and closeness to the Lord. The renewal of our minds by the Holy Spirit is what purifies us (Titus 3:5). And by cleansing our hearts by having faith in the Word of God (Acts 15:8-9). I believe that when we are tempted to participate in something that’s selfish and that God doesn’t agree with then we are to go to Him in prayer, asking for His wisdom and strength to not give into a temptation. We are to have faith in His power to overcome and to do His will.

Lent is not a tradition that come from the Bible and it is not a tradition the we are commanded to follow. It originally came from pagan traditions and the Lord does not approve of pagan traditions. Obviously it has changed over the centuries, many people still participate in their own ways. I think it matters where your heart is, what’s your purpose of participating in Lent? Are you doing it because it’s a tradition or are you doing it because we are called, by God, to abstain from the wicked, selfish and sinful ways of the world (Romans 12:2a)?

Here is the website I got most of the information. I'm sure they do a much better job explaining this subject but I found this very interesting.
http://rcg.org/articles/ttmol.html